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Message from Joel

We recently sent out a survey asking our DreamsWork subscribers some questions designed to help us provide you with more quality content. We had over an 11% response rate which is much more than expected. Thank you so much for taking your time to answer our questions and provide us with comments to increase the value we provide to you.

Many of you have expressed that they want to see more personal stories and experiences. You really want to hear first hand success stories! So, we have a great one for you here. Kristin Bole wrote to me recently to share some thoughts she had over the first three months of her new career and I found them very powerful. She compares the adjustment to a new career to the culture shock of having to adjust to a new culture or country.

Survey Results

Here are the results of our survey:

1. Do you discuss the content of the newsletter with colleagues, friends or co-workers? Yes - 72% No - 28%

3. If you don't read the newsletter, why? - No time 5% - Intend to read it later 11% - Not interested in content 3% - Other 2% - Not applicable 67% - No answer 12%

4. How often would you like to receive the newsletter? Monthly 22% Weekly 45% Daily 2% Every 2 wks 30%

5. What would you like to see more of? More articles 45% More quotes 6% More top tens 5% Leave it as is 34% Other 8%

6. What would you like to see less of? Less quotes 12% Less top tens 12% Shorter articles 10% Like it the way it is 56% Other 9%

7. Percentage of subscribers who are very interested in finding out more information about the following topics: Loving the Work You Have. 51% Mindfulness in work. 37% Finding Your Dream Job. 81% Balance in life/work. 66% Finding your passions/gifts. 88%

8. Percentage of subscribers who are very interested in the following:

FREE Q&A Hour with the Dream Job Coach: Answers to specific client questions and concerns. - - - 48%
FREE 1-Hour Teleclasses: Conference calls on a particular topic. - - - 19% FREE Career Action Networking Hour:
Time for individuals to connect with each other and potentially find people who can get them where they want to go. - - - 36%
One-on-one coaching: Weekly personalized support via telephone. - - - 37%
Group Coaching at discounted rates: Coached by Joel Garfinkle in a small group. - - - 30%

9. Do you forward the newsletter to others? Yes 60% No 40% Please feel free to contact us joel@dreamjobcoach.com with any additional comments or suggestions on how we can add value to DreamsWork for you.

Three months into this new career I'm remembering that there's always a 3-month low. I developed this theory in the Peace Corps, watching people freak out, then vow to stay an extra year, then freak out again. My theory is this: There are very specific highs and lows that come with any new situation which follow the learning curve of adjusting to a new culture.

The truth is, it doesn't apply only to living overseas but is also very applicable to starting a new job. And yep, here I am again. Here's the picture: For the first few months in a new career, everything's exciting. It's new, it's challenging, and you have no concept that it might actually be beyond you. By the end of 3 months, you've been in it long enough to know exactly how hard it is, how grossly unprepared you are, and how exhausting it is to change everything in your life. However, you haven't been in it long enough to have leapt the hurdle and gained the real experience it takes. Your first response: Bolt.

It's a basic fight or flight reaction to stress, but for some reason culture-shock stress creates only one of those responses - flight. You just want to get out of there. And the truth is, changing careers is a form of culture shock. Your old job suddenly sounds nice again. Your old skills feel familiar and valuable. You still don't really speak the language of the new place. And since your new skills are still in their infant stages, your old ones also seem to be the core of your self-esteem. Suddenly, it all just seems too hard. You think you're too old for this. What ever gave you the idea that this would be a step forward?

Suddenly it becomes painfully clear to you that this is an obvious step backwards. Why didn't your family warn you? Why didn't your friends? Why did this company think you'd be able to do this? You fooled them all, and you're paying the price. Ok, so step back, breathe and relax. The first thing to do is to remember that this is the hardest thing anyone ever does. And the fact is, most people don't have the guts to do it for precisely that reason.

Just as people take pets and favorite belongings to new country, you need to take something with you to your new job that reminds you that you were great before. Take time to put up those photos of family. Hang your awards on the wall where you can see them. But mostly, take time for yourself.

Do something each day that's tangible to improve your new skills (the equivalent of learning a new word each day in a new language), and to remind yourself of your old skills. Go to the gym. If you've been riding your bike since you were 6, ride your bike. If you've been baking cookies since you were in high school, bake cookies. If playing with a chemistry set was something that you've always loved, go buy one. Do things that are EASY and TANGIBLE, with real results.

It sounds silly, but it works. Pretty soon, you'll realize that you're at your 6-month high, your confidence has returned, and you've made it through the hardest point in your culture shock.

If you want to learn how to Find Your Dream Job, click here:
http://www.dreamjobcoaching.com/coaching-overview.html

Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.
~ Leo Tolstoy

Find your passion and make it your profession ... and you'll never work again.
~ Janice Rockett

There is no one giant step that does it. It's a lot of little steps.
~ Peter A. Cohen

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